Kaali Dal or Maa ki Dal (Lentil Soup)

I love my simple and basic dal which has only a few ingredients but enough to make your dish taste amazing. Dishes in North India is inspired by the weather. North tends to get a lot colder than South India and people here needed a richer diet, and spices like cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, pepper, ginger, and nutmeg to keep the body warm. This is not the same in South India. Dal that they prepare are usually less starchy and have chillies or garlic to keep the body cool.

I always thought that because my mother is cooking this dal and hence “maa ki dal” but one bowl of this dal has so many subtle flavours and I have literally grown up with it. So when my friend, Varnika told me about Dal Divas being organised by APB Cook Studio on 25th January 2018, I couldn’t stop myself but to participate and share my favorite dal recipe.

Maa ki Daal/Kali Daal | Photo Courtesy: Sadaf Hussain

Ingredients

Quantity

Urad Dal (Black Lentils)

300 gms

Tomatoes (roughly chopped)

250 gms

Onion

1

Butter

100 gms

Grated Ginger

1 tbsp

Crushed Garlic

1 tbsp

Vegetable Oil

1 tbsp

Cumin Seeds

1 tsp

Red Chilli Powder

1 tsp

Fresh Cream & Chopped Coriander

To garnish

How to cook cook cook!

Soak urad dal for at least 6-8 hours

Drain and rinse the soaked dal and, put in a large cooker on a medium fire for about 15-18 minutes.

When the lentils are boiled and cooked properly, add the tomato, butter, ginger, and garlic and cook for 20 minutes over a low heat

For the tempering, heat the oil in a small frying pan, and toss in the cumin seeds add the onion and chilli powder and cook. Ensure to not let it burn.

When the dal is cooked after 20 minutes, add your tempering and season with salt. Mix and cook for 5 more minutes.